JP2749191B2 - How to count the number of people passing by height - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a method for counting the number of people passing by height, and more specifically, counting the number of people passing by entrances or passages of buildings such as department stores and fairgrounds. About the method.

(Prior art and its technical problems) Conventionally, as a means for counting the number of passing persons, a light projector and a light receiver are arranged at the upper part of an entrance or a passage, and an extension of a light flux emitted from the light projector and a light entering path of the light receiver. A method is known in which a light loop is formed between a light emitter and a light receiver when a passer arrives at an intersection where the light beam crosses, and the signal is taken out as a signal and counted. Nos. 54-65075 and 55-16278).

According to this conventional method, it is possible to select the height of the loop based on the height of the loop, that is, to discriminate between an adult and a child or baggage. However, one set of the projector and the light receiver has only one height. It can only be distinguished and cannot be counted for a plurality of heights, that is, for the height of the passing person.

If you try to determine multiple heights in the conventional method,
It requires as many projectors as the number of discriminations is required, the installation space is wide, the signal control means is complicated, and it must be expensive, and it is necessary to adjust the position each time the position of the projector and receiver changes In addition, there is a problem that not only the workability is inferior due to the adjustment operation at a high place but also there is a danger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide means for simplifying and efficiently counting the number of passing persons by their height.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The counting method according to the present invention includes:
A light projector for projecting light toward the passer's head, a light receiving lens for receiving the reflected light, and a light position detector are arranged as a set, and the light receiving lens reflects the reflected light according to the height of the reflected light. Are condensed on different positions of the optical position detector, the optical position detector outputs different electric signals for each light receiving position, and discriminates and counts for each output signal.

A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that an output signal of the optical position detector is determined by a comparator and a setter whose input value is variable. And a plurality of sets of optical position detectors are juxtaposed in the width direction of the doorway or passage.

Further, claim 4 is for selecting and counting the number of visitors and the number of exits, and two sets of a projector, a light receiving lens and an optical position detector are arranged at intervals in the direction of passage of an entrance or a passage. The system is characterized in that a visitor and a leaver are distinguished based on the order of light reception of both sets of light position detectors.

(Operation) According to the present invention, the light emitted from the light projector is reflected on the head or shoulder of the passerby and received by the optical position detector via the light receiving lens (the resolution with respect to the height is equivalent to the head length). ), The reflected light forms an image at a specific position of the light position detector corresponding to the height of the reflection position, that is, the height of the passer, and an electric signal is output. Therefore, the height of the passer is selected by discriminating the output signal, and the number of persons by height is counted by counting for each output signal.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the output signal of the optical position detector is compared with an input value (threshold value) set in the setting device in advance, and the input value is set at a remote location. Can be changed.

According to the third aspect, even when a plurality of people pass side by side at the same time, each passer is discriminated and counted for each group, and the number of people passing by height is counted. When the light position detectors in the rear row receive light first, and then the light position detectors in the front row receive light, as viewed from the outside of the doorway or passage, the passer is determined to be a visitor, and Conversely, when the group in the front row receives light first, and subsequently the group in the rear row receives light, it is determined that the player has left and counted.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic operation of the present invention, in which 1 is a light projector, 2 is a light receiving lens, and 3 is an optical position detector. there, the detection unit a ₁ is configured them as a set.

Detector A ₁ is the top of the doorway or path B, for example, reduced system suspended ceiling wall, arranged by direct mounting type or embedded system or the like.

The light projector 1 is composed of a light emitting element of infrared light, visible light, or invisible light, and emits light vertically or at an appropriate angle from the upper part to the lower part so as to emit light to the head of a passer C passing through an entrance or a passage B.

The light receiving lens 2 is configured to transmit light emitted from the projector 1 to the passer C
Is a lens that collects the light that hits the head and reflects the light, and is disposed near the light position detector 3.

The light position detector 3 is composed of a light position detection element 3a such as a PSD element or a phototransistor and an arithmetic unit 3b. In the embodiment, a PSD element is used as the light position detection element 3a. They are arranged at predetermined intervals.

The light position detecting element 3a is an element that outputs a signal different according to the position where light is irradiated, that is, a signal proportional to the light receiving position. The signal is subjected to arithmetic processing of addition, subtraction, and division by the arithmetic unit 3b, and the light receiving position is obtained. It outputs a continuous electrical signal for each.

According to the present invention, the height is determined by utilizing the above-mentioned characteristics of the light position detecting element 3a and the fact that the height of the reflection position of the projected light differs depending on the height of the passer C.

That As shown in FIG. 1, the reflected light a ₁ hits the floor when the light emitted from the projector 1 is passed person to position a ₁ 'of the light position detecting element 3a through the light receiving lens 2 Although the light is received, when the passer C passes over the projected light beam, the reflected light a ₂ hitting its head or shoulder is detected via the light receiving lens 2 by the detecting element.
3a 'is received in it than tall who pass C' position a ₂ of the reflected light a ₃ in the case of being received in a position a ₃ 'of the detecting element 3a.

Therefore, the light position detector 3 detects the light receiving position a ₁ ′, a of the detecting element 3a.
By outputting an electric signal proportional to ₂ ′, a ₃ ′,... And discriminating and counting the signal, the number of persons for each height can be counted.

As the discrimination counting means, comparators 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ ... 4 _n , setting units 5 ₁ and 5 ₂
.. _5n and counters 6 ₁ , 6 ₂ ... 6 _n are used as an example, and a comparator, setting device, and counter for each one are set as a set 4 ₁ , 5 ₁ , 6 ₁
… 4 _n , 5 _n , 6 _n and the height (for example, 150 cm,
160cm, 170cm, 180cm).

The setter 5 _1, 5 ₂ ... 5 _n advance corresponding threshold for each height is inputted set by input unit 7, and an output signal transmitted from the optical position detector 3 described above and each of its set value Comparator
4 _1, respectively compared with 4 ₂ ... 4 _n, both sets of counter ₆₁ which is matched, 6 ₂ ... 6 _n any one count up to the different height persons are counted.

The comparator, setting device, counter, and input / output device are connected to a central processing unit (CPU) constituting a microcomputer via an external bus, and their operation is controlled. Means, display means,
Communication means to the POS may be provided.

The set values of the setting devices 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ ... 5 _n are variable by the input / output device 7.

FIG. 2 shows a light projector 1, a light receiving lens 2, and a light position detector 3.
This shows a case where two sets of detection units A ₁ and A ₂ are arranged at intervals in the traffic direction.

The operation of each of the detection units A ₁ and A ₂ is the same as that described above in the case of a single detection unit, but a comparator as a discrimination counting unit is used.
4 ₁ , 4 ₂ … 4 _n , 4 ₁ ′, 4 ₂ ′… 4 _n ′ and counters 6 ₁ , 6 ₂ … 6 _n ,
6 ₁ ′, 6 ₂ ′... 6 _n ′ are interposed with order determiners 10, 10 ′, and both determiners 10, 10 ′ are connected to each other to perform detection operation of both detectors A ₁ , A ₂ . (See FIG. 3).

Determiner 10, 10 'detecting section A ₁ of the comparator 4 _1, 4 ₂ ... 4 count signal output from the _n and the detection section A ₂ of the comparator 4 _1'
4 ₂ ′… 4 _n ′
Determiner 10 receives a count signal of the detection unit A ₁ side ahead, upon receiving the count signal of the detection unit A ₂ side Subsequently, who passed C
Is determined to be a visitor, and any _{one of} the counters 6 ₁ , 6 ₂ ... 6 _n is counted up.

The determination unit 10 'is previously receives the count signal of the detection unit A ₂ side, when receiving the count signal of the detection unit A ₁ side Then,
The passing person is determined to be the leaving person and any one of the counters 6 ₁ ′, 6 ₂ ′... 6 _n ′ is counted up.

That is, the detection unit A ₁ is a visitor counting detector A ₂ operates as a exit's count.

Figure 4 shows a case where a plurality arranged in a width direction of the detection unit A ₁ and / or A ₂ a doorway or path B, which detector
The interval between A ₁ and A ₁ or between A ₂ and A ₂ is set based on the width of one passer.

By the juxtaposition of the detection sections A ₁ and A ₂ , even when a plurality of passers enter and exit at the same time side by side, the number of entrances and exits by height can be counted by the detection sections A ₁ and A _2. .

(Effects) According to the present invention, the number of passing persons can be counted for a plurality of desired heights by a set of a light projector, a light receiving lens, and a light position detector, and a setting device for setting a threshold value for each height. Is variable, the height range to be counted can be changed without adjusting the angle of the projector or the like, so that the operability can be improved and the safety can be improved.

In addition, by arranging a plurality of sets of light emitters, light receiving lenses, and light position detectors in the width direction of the entrance / exit or the passage, accurate counting can be performed even in the case of simultaneous parallel passage by a plurality of persons, thereby improving reliability. It is possible to further arrange two sets of the light projectors and the like at an interval in the traveling direction, and detect a time difference between the operations of the two sets to determine a moving direction of the passerby, that is, a visitor, an exiting person, and to determine the height according to their height. The number of people can be counted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic operation of the counting method of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of a detection unit when counting the number of visitors and exits,
FIG. 3 is a block diagram thereof, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an arrangement of the detection unit. In the figure, 1 is a light emitter, 2 is a light receiving lens, 3 is an optical position detector, 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ ... 4 _n , 4 ₁ ′, 4 ₂ ′ 4 _n ′ are comparators, 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ … 5 _n , 5
₁ ', 5 ₂ ' ... 5 _n 'is a setting device, 6 ₁ , 6 ₂ ... 6 _n , 6 ₁ ', 6 ₂ '... 6 _n '
Is a counter, B is an entrance or a passage, and C and C 'are passers.

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light projector for projecting light toward a head of a passer, a light receiving lens for receiving the reflected light, and a light position detector are arranged as a set above an entrance or a passage, and the light receiving lens is projected. Depending on the height of the light reflection position, the reflected light is condensed on different positions of the light position detector, and the light position detector outputs a different electric signal for each light receiving position, and the height is determined and counted for each output signal. How to count the number of people passing by. 2. The counting method according to claim 1, wherein the output signal of said optical position detector is determined by a comparator and a setter whose input value is variable. 3. The counting method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of sets of said light projector, light receiving lens and light position detector are arranged in parallel in a width direction of an entrance or a passage. 4. A set of the light projector, the light receiving lens and the light position detector are arranged at intervals in the direction of passage of the entrance or the exit, and two sets of the light position detectors enter and leave the light receiver according to the light receiving order of the two sets of light position detectors. The counting method according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the counting method is performed.